The Order of The Black Swan Series by Victoria Danann-a review

The Order of The Black Swan Series by Victoria Danann

The trilogy is available in a box set : Amazon / Barnes and Noble / KOBO

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My Familiar Stranger by Victoria Danann -The Order of The Black Swan Series #1

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / KOBO /iTunes / Smashwords

The trilogy is available in a box set : Amazon / Barnes and Noble / KOBO/Smashwords

To begin, I’m not a great lover of scientific jargon and find details about inter-dimensional travel to be boring. When first opening this book I thought “Oh my, this is going to be such a chore”. How could I have ever been so wrong? LOL While there is a little introduction to the aspects of this phenomenon, it was small and a really good set-up for the coming magnificent story!

Ok, that said let’s get on with the story. The worlds explored are on Earth, but are very different from our own. Someone once said that each little stone on a beach, if moved could change the world. So, if Hitler hadn’t been stopped, what kind of world would we have today…perish the thought. But if polio vaccine hadn’t been invented or discovered what would our world be like if even one hero had gotten polio and not been there to be a hero? That’s the type of changes…some smaller, some larger. Many things are familiar – but very different.

In this world there is secret organization that protects humans and others from many dangers: vampire, demon, and perverts…all manner of evil doers. The agents, or fighters for this organization are actually knights…yes, knights. Only the very best of the best and not many of even those are awarded this honor. This organization was having a meeting of their best team (B Team) of the Order of Black Swans.

While on another world, Elora Laiken and her whole royal family were being attacked and the attackers were winning. To save her young life her friend and tutor, Thelonius Monq or for short”Monq”, sent her to another dimension via his untested vortex invention.

While the invention does “save” her life she emerges in mid-air in the meeting of the Black Swan B Team and quite literally drops out of thin air. Only while she is alive, she is not without injury. She is in fact a blob of skinned, broken and bloody flesh. Not even recognizable as necessarily “human”. Some of the knights being startled and cautious voted to “kill it”, but Sir Storm (oh year, I do love a good storm) took the initiative to carry the “blob” to medical help.
You know I don’t do spoilers… let me just say that any time spent reading this book, even this whole series will not be a waste of time.

Victoria Danann has crafted an incredible world or worlds. The characters are each magnificent in their own unique way (though I wouldn’t mind at all being mated to any of these alpha males). Her secondary characters are equally well done. Conversations are realistic, humorous, provocative and just plain fun. The plot is wonderful, twisty, funny and heart rending. All the things an epic should be. You are literally in this world with them, experiencing their pains, triumphs and frustrations. And the sex is well written, and enthralling.

I think the term “a must read” is probably overused, so how do I tell you that you really haven’t lived until you’ve read this series? Yeah, it’s that good!

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

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The Witch’s Dream by Victoria Danann -The Order of The Black Swan Series #2

Amazon

The trilogy is available in a box set : Amazon / Barnes and Noble / KOBO/Smashwords

This is book 2 of the Order of the Black Swan. I usually hesitate a bit at sequels, they very often seem to try too hard to be like the first…relax, not so with this book. It actually begins where book 1 (My Familiar Stranger) leaves off.

The first chapter gives you the idea of where the next big problem is coming from and who the target is! In this case our very wonderful friend Sir Kay (the berserker of the group) and his lovely bride-to-be Katrina. In the meantime we are delighted with the Irish hand fasting (wedding) of Ram and Elora.
Again Victoria Danann has used her remarkable talent to craft wonderful scenes of family life, even among the elven royalty. The marvelous conversations and romantic antics of Ram and Elora are absolutely so enthralling you forget the other shoe is about to drop on their friends…hence surprise when it does.
While in Edinburgh, B-Team has the hand fasting and also is assigned to a new group to help with a task while they are there. This is where our beautiful and talented witch Litha Brandywine comes in and at the first sight of Sir Storm falls head over heels in love with him (heck, I did that in the first book-LOL-tall, dark handsome, muscular, honorable, and well endowed – what’s not to love? LOL).

Litha works for the Order as a tracker. However, Sir Storm believes he’s still in love with Elora and is not exactly receptive to Litha (men, the great looks don’t always go the brain first). Fortunately, she a very determined little witch!

That’s all the spoilers I’m giving out! This is a wonderfully twisty and exciting book. The storyline is completely different while maintaining the same relationships and wonderful people, just a few additions to accommodate the twists.

It’s incredibly exciting, and for me, impossible to put down. I devoured it like it was made of chocolate and caramel. I’m writing this with slightly shaky hands cause I just can’t wait to get to book 3.

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

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The Summoner’s Tale by Victoria Danann-The Order of The Black Swan Series #3

Amazon

The trilogy is available in a box set : Amazon / Barnes and Noble / KOBO/Smashwords

The Summoners Tale – The Vampires confessor is the third in the Black Swan Series. And they say the best things come in 3’s, I believe that is absolutely correct!

OMG, OMG! This series is on my favorites list! We begin book 3 where book 2 left off. I love the continuity of this series. The great friends from the first two are ever present and we get views of their continuing stories and how their lives are going. The B Team (Bad Company – bad as in badass) is the elite of the Black Swan organization. And the wonderful alpha male knights and the one female knight are the reason. Each now with very special mates that has interesting talents of their own.

Victoria has built great relationships between the team members and their spouses, with many interactions that save each other’s lives.
Primary story in this book is our friend Istvan Baka, ex-vampire. He is trying to move forward with the vampire cure project. He finds himself distracted and in love with Heather who shows only contempt for him. Ram’s little sister will play a huge part in finding out why, and the answers are thought provoking and thrilling!

Okay…no spoiling the great telling of the magnificent story. But the twists and dangers are many to all the characters that are known and loved. Victoria has written each book with individual tales of threats and heroics, but tied them together to move the story arch farther and farther along. A few new characters are coming in, while some secondary characters are stepping up and coming to more focus in the overall story.

I love the world(s) she has designed. The basic issues that all the different races are facing and trying to overcome. While they now have to prepare for other worlds beginning to have inter-dimensional travel more perfected than the one poor Elora was pushed into. Interesting scientific concepts side by side with issues of age old prejudices; a great mixture of science and humanity – much like reality.

If you haven’t tried this series, I urge you invest a little time to it! You will not be disappointed, but enthrallment is a definite possibility! Personally, I’m looking forward to the 4th book coming in May of 2013!

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

Copies supplied by the author